Passed down through generations, proverbs are an invaluable source of folk wisdom across cultures
While they are mainly preserved through oral tradition, they can also be found in ancient texts such as the Bible, Spain’s earliest literary works like The Poem of El Cid, and, of course, Don Quixote by Cervantes, which is filled with these popular expressions.
Love, friendship, religion, food—proverbs cover a wide range of themes. But did you know that there are hundreds of them dedicated to olives and olive trees?
Here are some of the most well-known sayings and their meanings.
Proverbs About Olives
“Water and moonlight bring a bountiful olive harvest.”
Just as water is essential for an olive grove, a rainy year is almost always a guarantee of a good harvest
“One olive by Saint John’s Day, a hundred by Christmas.”
On June 24 (Saint John’s Day), olive trees barely bear any fruit at all. But by December, they reach their peak, brimming with ripe olives ready to be harvested.
“Harvesting olives before January leaves oil in the wood.”
The olive doesn’t reach its full maturity and maximum size until January, so if it is harvested before the beginning of the year, we will not have allowed the olives to grow enough and we will be leaving oil in the olive tree.
“Olives are picked one by one.”
This saying highlights that success requires patience and effort, much like harvesting olives carefully, one at a time
“Fortune and olives—some years plenty, some years none.”
Like luck, olive harvests can be abundant or scarce, largely depending on weather conditions.
“Better to have olives than an olive grove.”
Similar to “A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush,” this proverb advises practicality over ambition—owning olives is better than owning land without producing any.
“Eat the olive, discard the pit.”
This phrase means letting go of negativity—just as you discard the pit after eating an olive, you should leave the past behind.
“Even rotten olives have their takers.”
“Zapateras” are spoiled olives, yet some will still take them. This proverb refers to opportunistic people who benefit from even the worst situations.
Proverbs About Olive Groves
“The olive tree gives, even when mistreated.”
Olive trees are incredibly resilient, surviving harsh weather and diseases while still producing fruit.
“Raising a foal and growing an olive grove are best left to someone else.”
Both raising horses and cultivating olive trees require long-term commitment and hard work
“To each his own olive tree.”
One of Spain’s most famous proverbs, used when it’s time to leave or when everyone returns to their own home.
“Olive trees, wine, and friends—older is always better.”
Just like good wine and strong friendships, the oldest olive trees produce the best harvests
“An olive tree gives back twentyfold.”
A well-maintained olive tree is highly rewarding, returning much more than what is invested in its care.
“Olives are olives.”
This saying addresses those who look for differences where there are none—”olive” and “aceituna” are two words for the same fruit.
“An olive grove planted in November will tell you so, even if you don’t ask.”
November is one of the best months to plant olive trees for optimal growth.
“Olive groves from your grandfather, fig trees from your father, and vineyards from yourself.”
Similar to “A house from your father, vineyards from your grandfather, and olive groves from your great-grandfather,” this saying reflects the lifespan of different crops—the older the olive tree, the better its yield.
